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Report tracks improvement in cardiac surgery mortality rates

(Harrisburg) -- A new report on cardiac surgeries in Pennsylvania finds record low mortality rates.

The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council pored over the outcomes of 20,000 cardiac surgeries at 59 hospitals, and found a mortality rate of 1.5 percent for coronary artery bypass grafts without a valve procedure. That's down from 3.2 percent in 1994.

The report tracked a similar decrease in valve surgery mortality rates since 2005.

Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania spokesman Roger Baumgarten says the numbers help quantify the high quality of care across the state.

"The record low mortality rates shown in the PHC4 report really are a testament to the phenomenal care that is being provided to Pennsylvanians day in and day out in our hospitals," he says.

The report includes data from eight midstate hospitals, where mortality rates for non-valve procedures ranged from zero at Lancaster Regional to 2.3 percent at Holy Spirit in Camp Hill.

The PHC4 classifies all mortality rates in the region -- for coronary artery bypass grafts and heart valve surgeries -- as "not significantly different than expected."

Complete PHC4 data on hospital mortality rates, readmission rates and hospital charges can be found below.